Week in and week out, members of Team Endure to Cure have made a choice to push themselves beyond their perceived limitations to reach the finish line of endurance events of all kinds.  They never ask why they are doing what they do because they know why.

Day in and day out, children are diagnosed with cancer or going through harsh treatments. They are forced to push themselves beyond their limitations simply to survive.  Their finish line may never seem near. They probably do not understand why cancer happened to them, or why their sense of “normal” has changed from playtime with friends to hospital treatments with doctors.

Part of our mission at Endure to Cure is to help children bridge this scary abyss. Gracious supporters combine with the efforts of our Team Endure to Cure members to help these children endure their treatments with a little more vigor and energy by fulfilling some of their simplest wishes.  These tiny wishes usually result in huge emotional boosts.

Our most recent grant went to Theo, who is currently fighting cancer in a Chicago-area hospital.  In early 2011, The lives of Theo and those around him significantly changed when he was diagnosed with cancer.  When we found out that he is one of the biggest fans of both the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears, we knew a late-season visit to Wrigley to see the Cubs and a surprise from the Bears’ star quarterback Jay Cutler would help give him and his family the strength to keep fighting until cured.

His signed football from Jay Cutler arrived after an unexpected hospital stay and some particularly challenging days of treatment.  Theo and his family conveyed what an amazing welcome home gift this was for Theo during such a difficult time. And if pictures tell the story, we couldn’t agree more!

Thank you to all of our selfless donors and sponsors who supported our Team Endure to Cure members from around the world to make this possible.  If you are interested in becoming somebody’s hero today, click here to learn more!

Endure to Cure funded this “Bear Hug” via Bear Necessities in Chicago, IL.  BN’s “Bear Hugs” program supports cancer patients up to age 19 who face the many challenges that accompany the diagnoses and treatment of pediatric cancer.